Saint of the Day Online - St Thomas More

Saint of the Day for Thursday, June 22, 2017

Saint Name: Saint Thomas More
Place: London, England
Birth: 1478
Death: 1535
Feast: 22 June

Saint Thomas More born on 7 February 1478 was venerated by Roman Catholics as Saint Thomas More, was an English lawyer, social philosopher, author, statesman and noted Renaissance humanist.

His father, Sir John More, was a lawyer and judge who rose to prominence during the reign of Edward IV. His connections and wealth would help his son, Thomas, raised in a station as a young man. Thomas' mother was Agnes Graunger, the first wife of John More. John would have four wives during his life, but they each died, leaving John as a widower. Thomas had two brothers and three sisters, but three of his siblings died within a year of their birth. Such tragedies were common in England during this time.

Thomas More entered Oxford in 1492, where he would learn Latin, Greek and prepare for his future studies. In 1494, he left Oxford to become a lawyer and he trained in London until 1502 when he was finally approved to begin practice.

Almost as soon as More became a lawyer, he found himself contemplating another path in life. For two years, between 1503 and 1504, More lived next to a Carthusian monastery and he found himself called to follow their lifestyle of simple piety. He often joined their spiritual exercises.

In 1504, More was elected to Parliament to represent the region of Great Yarmouth, and in 1510 rose to represent London. During his service to the people of London, he earned a reputation as being honest and effective. He became a Privy Counselor in 1514. 

Thomas More has been widely remembered as a man of tremendous integrity, and he has since been described as a martyr and canonized a saint. Pope Leo XIII beatified More in 1886, and he was canonized by Pope Pius XI on May 19, 1935. His feast day is June 22.